Episode Details

Heart disease is often blamed on cholesterol, blood pressure, and genetics. But emerging research reveals a deeper story that begins in the gut.

In this episode of The GoodLife in Health and Wellness, Dr. Kate Duncan explores the Gut–Heart Axis and explains how the trillions of microbes living in your digestive system influence inflammation, metabolism, hormone balance, and cardiovascular risk. You will learn how gut dysbiosis contributes to plaque formation through compounds like TMAO, how a weakened gut barrier drives systemic inflammation, and why heart disease often starts long before symptoms or abnormal labs appear.

This episode also breaks down the powerful connection between gut health, hormones, and metabolism, especially for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Duncan explains why weight gain, rising blood pressure, and fatigue are not simply issues of aging or willpower, but signs of deeper gut and hormonal shifts that directly affect the heart.

You will walk away with a clearer understanding of how food becomes chemistry in your bloodstream, why gut health is foundational for heart protection, and how simple, science-backed lifestyle habits can help support a healthier microbiome, calmer inflammation, and long-term cardiovascular resilience.